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Stealing into Irys’s hts flowed into er sister, Lily, and she longed to be back ho around in cold, horrid Ixia The situation in the north was getting dangerous; she would be safer in Sitia But for how long? she wondered As a ician, she couldn’t allow the abuse of power that she had felt eo Theobroed a way to intensify his power

Irys’s thoughts returned toon ourin ured it out by now? You’re focusing your ht That’s why you instinctively anticipate your oppo nent’s your friends Now that you have learned to harness your power, you have taken the next logical step by expanding it beyond the im in the cold night air as Irys e to flaet any stronger unless you receive the proper training You don’t want to waste your potential Come south now; your pursuers areyou can do; hishim Theobroma I’ve smelled it since I arrived"

"Theobroma? Do you mean Criollo? The brown-colored sweet that Brazell’s ical influence It relaxes theeasy access to so tool in controlled situations where a fledglingpersonality, very resistant to estion Theobroma breaks down that barrier, which helps when a student is learning, but using it on the Coain control of his ht around her shoulders "Even with Theobroician shouldn’t be able to reach the Cokan has He has found a way to boost his power"

Irys rubbed her arkan’s visit to the castle was to lock himself into the Commander’s mind so he could lead him out here"

"What can we do to break the lock?" I asked

"Kill Mogkan But it’ll be difficult He’s very powerful"

"Isn’t there another way?" I recalled my conversation in the woods with Valek about murder as a solution My formula, he had said, and it still annoyed me He’d probably never been in the lose-lose situation I was always finding ht work He’ll still have his ic, but it won’t be enhanced"

"What would his extra power look like? Hoe find it?"

"My guess would be that he’s either recruited a nuicians to pool their power, or he’s devised a way to concentrate the power source without warping it" She paused, considering

"Diamonds"

"Diamonds?" A cold knot of anxiety churned in ic

"Yes Very expensive, but they will gather and store power like a hot coal holds heat He ic He would need a man-size circle of diamonds, and that’s not easily hidden If we could find this circle I ht be able to use it to block his power or, at least, redirect it long enough for you to awaken the Coicians? Hoould I recognize theicians," Irys said, her voice sharp with sarcas for then painted on the floor To linkthe edge of a circle"

"I can search the manor, but I need help," I said "I need Valek"

"You need a miracle," Irys replied with a ist to her lips

"Can you direct Valek here?"

"He’s already on his way You two have forged a strong connection, although I don’t know if it’s of o before Valek arrives When and if you discover the source of Mogkan’s extra power, chant my name in your mind I’ll hear your call because we, too, have created a bond Our er each time we communicate I’ll try to help you with the Cokan" She disappeared into the forest

While I waited for Valek, I paced on the packed dirt and tried to think of a way to find Mogkan’s power source Irys’s words about needing a miracle were, indeed, an understates The tread of rass and trampled the earth until it orn s my heels into this saedhiainst my skin it had left a mark Then I had hidden it to keep it out of Reyad’s cruel hands